Elon Musk to testify in Austin today on spaceport plans

Elon Musk will talk to Texas legislators about his proposal to build a spaceport in southern Texas.

As you may recall, last summer Musk said Texas was a “leading candidate” for such a spaceport, but a decision was not close to being made due to the need to complete an environmental assessment.

Musk is meeting with the Texas House Appropriations Committee to talk about plans being made by his company SpaceX. The hearing is due to begin at 8:30 a.m. today.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Florida. (AP)

The hearing comes two days after Texas Rep. Rene Olivera filed legislation, HB 2623, that would allow the company to temporarily close an area of Boca Chica Beach for launches with the approval of the General Land Office.

Musk will also speak Saturday at Austin’s SXSW festival.

In April of 2012 SpaceX filed its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for a proposed launch site in Cameron County, about 3 miles north of the Mexican border on the Gulf Coast. According to the company, the site’s operations would consist of up to 12 launches per year. Some opposition has emerged from a state environmental group.

Still, it’s believed the state is preparing a competitive bid for the project which could provide its space industry with a shot in the arm.

During the last half century, there’s been a clear distinction between Florida, which launched rockets, and Texas, which trained astronauts, supervised spacecraft construction and controlled missions.

But that boundary has blurred in recent years with the rise of private spaceflight, such as when Florida obtained management of the office that will oversee astronauts who fly on commercial spacecraft.

Were SpaceX to build the spaceport, it would give Texas a toehold in the launch business and bolster its future in the changing spaceflight business. The Hawthorne, Calif.-based company, which already has a rocket testing facility near Waco, says its interest in a Texas launch site is legitimate. It is considering a new launch site in Florida, Puerto Rico and perhaps other locations in addition to Texas.